The standoffish and surly persona in the 70's was genuine and a product of his really crappy environment. He only became more cynical as he hung around the people you mentioned. People who knew him back then said he wasnt exaggerating his past and that they witnessed some of his street fights, mugging, stealing people's food, etc. However, there were other times in interviews where he seemed very jovial, down to earth, and social. This tells us that he was kind of jaded by the tough environment he was in, but deep down that more personable guy wanted to come out but was too hesitant because of all the messed up things he saw and didn't trust people. Plus, he saw how America treated Liston first hand and figured he may as well just be that guy to sell tickets and to not bother being nice. Comeback Foreman's change shocked everyone he knew and he never turned off the light switch since the Young loss. Whether you agree with his faith or not, it was a remarkable self rewiring that you often see with people who go through crazy life changing events. He'd have to be one of the greatest actors on earth for it all to be an act.
It's weird how Rooney's name comes up in almost every Tyson thread and he's given so much praise, but Tyson rarely mentions him.
The life changing events aside, I think the massive amount of responsibility (family, social/spiritual community, business) he took upon himself also helped him develop the noble demeanor. For many, many people George Foreman was a titan holding their world on his shoulders.
It’s true but then it’s not only Rooney that Tyson is reluctant to publicly talk about. Apart from Cus D’Amato, all the other members of his old management and coaching team rarely gets a mention. Not even Jim Jacobs who I always thought was the closest to Tyson after Cus passed away. But I think it all began to fall apart after Jacobs himself died in 1988. Tyson seem to fall out big time with his remaining co-manager Bill Cayton and even began to suspect that Jacobs along with Cayton never had his best interests at heart and was treating him all along as just a money making commodity. Whether Don King and Tyson’s then wife Robin Givens was bending his ear at this time only Tyson can tell us but from what I gather Tyson soon fired Rooney as his trainer and other members of his back room team like Steve Lott because they wouldn’t take his side against Cayton. Maybe one day we will hear the full story of what really happened?
You may well be right about that under the rough intimidating persona he was really a different person to one that everyone assumed he was. Who can forget the unexpected display of patriotism after winning the Olympic gold medal in 1968, waving a handheld American flag for all to see at a Olympic Games where one of the famous enduring images was of black Americans athletes raising their fists in the air as a symbol of their struggle for their civil rights in America? Who would have thought that Foreman would be the one that would chose to do what he did?
Thank you for asking: “ "Muhammad Ali was a god, an idol and an icon. He was boxing. Any kid that had the opportunity to talk to Ali, to get advice from Muhammad Ali, was privileged. He's always given me time to ask questions although I was so in awe that I didn't ask questions." " I watched Ali, studied Ali and I studied Sugar Ray Robinson. I watched them display showmanship. I watched them use pizzazz, personality, and charisma. I took things from them and borrowed things from them because boxing is entertainment. Boxing is a sport but it's also entertainment. I wanted to transcend the sport and be considered just not as a fighter, or a champion, but someone very special." http://www.espn.com/abcsports/wwos/leonard/ali.html#:~:text=Ali helped make Sugar,Ali had on his career.
So his claim is that he copied Ali by having charisma and showmanship? Maybe in the ring. But they never seemed similar at all outside the ring. Ali’s schtick was way more over the top and at times alternatively buffoonish or mean-spirited (or both). Leonard was always way more soft-spoken and even-keeled.
I'm satisfied someone as celebrated as Sugar Ray Leonard called him a "god", an "idol", and an "icon" and he "borrowed " from him. You characterized his behavior as is your right. I like Ray's characterization better though I do think it was a bit effusive.
I'd also like to see this. The gypsy community tend to mix amongst themselves mostly on a social level and rarely if ever lose the accent. The man was brought up among fighting gypsys I'm sure they would see it as dishonourable to try be something else. There's a photo of Bartley Gorman a gypsy bare knuckle champion holding the bag while John Fury works on it with a young Tyson Fury in the foreground. He's also related to Uriah Burton who vacated the gypsy title which Gorman held for years. It's in their blood to be who they are. I'd add the photo but don't know how on my phone.
Well Cayton and Jacobs are dead and Rooney is surprisingly quiet so it's bizarre that we have zero closure on this issue. We obviously have to take anything Don King says with an entire bag of salt. Unless Tyson speaks on it, we will likely never never get any more details.